Monday, January 10, 2011

Homemade Vanilla Redoux

Revisiting the homemade vanilla project of last May, I made appropriate adjustments to my first effort. No way was I going to let making vanilla defeat me.

Upon further research, I discovered you can get gourmet vanilla beans cheaper online which were promptly found on eBay. After pouring out some of the vodka in both of my large bottles, I added dark rum to my concoction. Clarice at Storybook Woods told me she uses brandy. I didn’t have any brandy but used her hint that rum also works.

A tiny slit was made down the length of my new beans and I inserted five of each bean type into each vodka/rum bottle (two batches were in action at the same time). The whole shebang was stored away in a dark cupboard waiting for the resulting miracle that is homemade vanilla.

The homemade vanilla turned out to be scrumptious with its exquisite fragrance and taste. My bottles of goodness were packed for giving to my family at Christmas thanks to a DIY project posted on Twig & Thistle.

Worrying about whether they’d leak when mailing, I cut up a sandwich baggie and placed a little square of the plastic over the top of each bottle before screwing on the lid. Not a drop leaked in the shipping process.

9 comments:

Oh yum! I'm glad it worked out better this time, I love my homemade and am quite spoiled now. I like your bottle; it looks like an apothecary bottle for medicine. (I know, it IS; one whiff and everything gets better!)

Oh yeah you made some. I do think brandy or rum make a richer vanilla. I suppose vodka gives you a cleaner taste but I am still partial to the brandy!!! Your bottle looks soo cute. Good for you for making it, enjoy. It is good in a cup of tea!!! xoxxo Clarice

Splendid idea about the Tahitian vanilla beans. My wife and I tried it and can't stop talking about it! We are using Infinity Jars for our home made vanilla extract. The jars are very good looking and keeps the extract super fresh. http://infinityjars.com/collections/vanilla-bottles